SS George W. Norris

SS George W. Norris was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after George W. Norris, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and a United States senator from Nebraska.

History
United States
Name	George W. Norris
Namesake	George W. Norris
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2388
Builder	J.A. Jones Construction, Brunswick, Georgia
Cost	$823,133
Yard number	173
Way number	3
Laid down	31 October 1944
Launched	2 December 1944
Sponsored by	Miss Gretchen Rath
Completed	12 December 1944
Identification	Call Signal: ANBH
Fate	Wrecked and lost off Japan, 1 March 1946
General characteristics
Class and type	Liberty ship type EC2-S-C1, standard
Tonnage	10,865 LT DWT 7,176 GRT
Displacement	3,380 long tons (3,434 t) (light) 14,245 long tons (14,474 t) (max)
Length	441 feet 6 inches (135 m) oa 416 feet (127 m) pp 427 feet (130 m) lwl
Beam	57 feet (17 m)
Draft	27 ft 9.25 in (8.4646 m)
Installed power	2 × Oil fired 450 °F (232 °C) boilers, operating at 220 psi (1,500 kPa) 2,500 hp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion	1 × triple-expansion steam engine,  (manufactured by General Machinery Corp., Hamilton, Ohio) 1 × screw propeller
Speed	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	562,608 cubic feet (15,931 m3) (grain) 499,573 cubic feet (14,146 m3) (bale)
Complement	38–62 USMM 21–40 USNAG
Armament	Varied by ship Bow-mounted 3 inches (76 mm)/50 caliber gun Stern-mounted 4 inches (102 mm)/50 caliber gun 2–8 × single 20 millimeters (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons and/or, 2–8 × 37 millimeters (1.46 in) M1 AA guns

Construction

George W. Norris was laid down on 31 October 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2388, by J.A. Jones Construction, Brunswick, Georgia; she was sponsored by Miss Gretchen Rath, the eleven-year-old granddaughter of the namesake, and launched on 2 December 1944.

History

She was allocated to Prudential Steamship Corporation, on 12 December 1944. On 6 March 1946, she was wrecked and lost off Tenega Shima, Japan, she was declared a marine total loss.

Bibliography

• "Jones Construction, Brunswick GA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
• "Liberty Ships – World War II". Retrieved 16 November 2017.
• Maritime Administration. "George W. Norris". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
• "SS George W. Norris". Retrieved 16 November 2017.